For the First Time and Forever
by Namyari
Summary: Tashigi was just a child when her village was attacked by pirates and her parents killed. Or how Tashigi was rescued by a certain white-haired man and became a Marine.


**AN : **Hello dear reader !

I love Tashigi and Smoker's relationship. I think they have so much of a father/daughter relationship. I wondered how they met and how they developed this relationship and just had to write it.

I hope you'll like it.

N.

The house shook and the seven years old girl hid further into her closet. Her hands were on her ears, trying to tune out the screams coming from everywhere. She was clutching a plush animal against her chest and did not dare close her eyes.

Someone wrenched the door open and grabbed her arm roughly. With wide eyes, she looked as her mother pulled her away from her room. She ran behind her as fast as her short legs would carry her. She glanced outside and immediately regretted it. Houses were burning, lighting up the night sky as if it was midday, people were running and screaming everywhere. They were running away from pirates.

She gulped. Her mother had told her about these dangerous, bloodthirsty groups of men and it had scared her. Now that she was seeing it for real she found it even scarier than in her nightmares. She wanted to ask where her father was but couldn't even catch her breath.

They bolted out of the house and ran along the road, as close to the houses as they could.

"Someone has seen a Marine ship there." Her mother pointed at the harbor. It seemed so far. "I want you to go there, no matter what, alright ?" She didn't answer and her mother tugged on her hand harder, forcing her daughter's eyes to meet hers. "Tashigi, do you understand ?" She nodded.

They rounded the corner of a street and her mother beamed when she saw a large group of Marines fighting their way towards them.

Her mother yelled, calling them, but it didn't attract the attention of the right people. A loud bang echoed from somewhere Tashigi couldn't pinpoint and her mother gripped her hand tighter. Then, at once, her hold got slack and her fingers slipped out of Tashigi's.

The girl stopped running and turned to her mother, wondering why she'd stop so close to their goal.

"Mommy, why are …" She gasped as her mother fell, as if in slow motion, first to her knees, then forwards, face first on the hard concrete. "Mommy !" She fell to her knee, pulling on her mother's dress to help her stand. When it didn't work she tried to turn her head to look at her face. Only then did she notice the dark liquid pooling under her mother body.

She fell back on her bum and scrambled backward until her back hit the wall. She may have been just a kid but she wasn't stupid. She knew it was blood and there were enough bodies littering the streets this night for her to understand what it meant.

She got back to her feet and with her mother's last words in mind she ran to the harbor. She could see the Marines barely a hundred feet in front of her and pushed harder on her short legs. They were rounding a few pirates and hadn't noticed her yet.

She was stopped short by a large hand gripping her arm. She glanced and screamed when a tall pirate smiled wickedly at her. She struggled to get free and screamed louder when he began to pull her away from her goal. Tashigi had never been so scared in her life.

She hit and bite and kicked but he only laughed at her. She was losing all hope of freedom and life. How could such a young girl compete against a grown man? She grabbed a stick and whacked the man as hard as she could. When she hit him in the head he recoiled a little but it only made him angry.

His second hand grabbed her hair and tears filled her eyes as pain flared through her skull.

"You dirty little" He didn't get to finish as the tip of a spear or a sword, or something that was pointy anyway, pierced his chest. The man released her as he stumbled and she took a couple of steps back, her eyes wide at the gap in the man's torso. Blood splattered her face, sticking to her hair and glasses.

As the pirate fell, a tall man appeared behind him. He looked strange but his Marine uniform reassured Tashigi immediately. He looked way too young for his completely grey hair and was smoking two large cigars at a time. he looked down at her with hard eyes.

"Go back to your parents, kid." He growled as he wiped his weapon on the sleeve of his white jacket. Well, it wasn't that white anymore. However, he didn't miss the pained glance she threw behind her. He couldn't miss the body of a woman, laying in the middle of the curb barely ten feet away.

He didn't have time to say anything else as a group of pirates came running. They were trying to reach the harbor now that most Marines had dispersed into the city.

The man pushed Tashigi behind him with a growl, pinning her to the wall.

"Do not move. You stay behind me, no matter what." He saw her nodding from the corner of his eyes.

When the first man ran at him, a long sword pulled out, he had no difficulty disarming him and threw his body against the nearest house. Then, to Tashigi's utmost surprise, his left arm turned white and fluffy and she realized it was smoke. A devil fruit user. She didn't know Marines were allowed to have Devil Fruit -wasn't it a pirate thing ?- but she said nothing.

She watched with wide eyes as her savior took out every single pirate on his own and in less than ten minutes. He was brave and strong and she wished she could help him. She glanced at the stick in her hand and knew she could not do anything. She'd get in his way more than help. And he had asked her to stay behind him, she would not dare disobey him. She grabbed it tighter in her small hand anyway.

When the last opponent fell a few feet away she saw him wipe the blood out of his face. She guessed he could have turned to smoke so he'd be clean but realized he hadn't so blood wouldn't have splashed on her face.

He finally turned to face her. She could see his face better now. He crouched in front of her with a frown. He looked deep in thoughts and she did not want to bother him. She just looked at him.

"My name is Smoker. You're going to follow me, okay ?" His voice was surprisingly calm and quiet compared to the cold orders he had given her. She nodded slowly. She thought about what her mother had told her. Surely she'd be relieved if Tashigi followed a Marine, right ?

He stood up again, so tall next to her and, to her surprise, he took Tashigi's hand in his and began to walk in silence. She hadn't realized how alone and scared she felt until the small gesture. She squeezed his fingers as hard as she could as tears began to form in her eyes. She was scared he would change his mind and leave her right here.

She could not help the small hiccup that escaped her lips and it took the man less than a second to understand she was crying. He stopped and crouched again. She shivered, afraid he'd reprimand her for stopping. Instead, he dried her tears with his thumb in a gentle way, smearing the drops of blood on her pale face at the same time.

"Hey, everything is okay, now. You're going to be fine. I'm not going to leave you alone. Life is harsh kiddo but you gotta go with it and work hard to make the world a better place. For you and for everyone around you." She willed her tears to stop, looking at him in the eyes. "You're coming with me." He seemed so sure of him that she couldn't do anything but nod at him. She was shivering and tired but she was ready to follow him wherever he'd want.

He noticed how cold she was and took off his Marine coat before wrapping it around her shoulders. Her eyes widened but she said nothing. Now that she could see his arms they looked huge, at least the size of both her thighs. Swiftly he lifted her in his arm and stood up again. He cradled the back of her head against his shoulder and walked faster as he passed bodies sprawled in the streets.

When they reached the boat Tashigi couldn't help but gasp at the size of it. Even when she craned her neck as much as she could she couldn't see the top of the tallest mast.

Smoker held onto her a bit tighter when he walked onto the deck. She could see how the other Marines were looking at him. Looking at her. She shifted in his arms but he didn't let go of her.

When he reached a tall man with a long white coat he stopped and stood straighter as he readjusted her in his arms.

"Colonel." He spoke loudly and the man turned around. He didn't look nice and Tashigi gulped when he observed her with attention.

"What is it Captain Smoker ?" His voice sounded warmer than she had expected.

"I'm here to tell you that this girl," He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't thought about asking her name.

"Tashigi." She muttered.

"Tashigi," Smoker nodded. "Will stay with me from now on." When the Colonel looked at him with a doubtful look, he added, "I'm going to train her into becoming a worthy asset for the Marine and the Government."

Tashigi's head whipped around, her wide eyes full of doubt. Was this man, this stranger really, offering to take care of her ? To teach her how to fight on her own so she would never be helpless in front of pirates ever again ? When his eyes didn't move and he said nothing that could hint that it was a joke, she smiled. It was small and hesitant, but a smile nonetheless.

"Captain, I'm not sure a Marine boat, or a Marine base, is the best place to raise a child. I'm sure someone in here could take care of her."

Tashigi shook her head, gripping Smoker's collar tighter. She felt his arm tightening around her too.

"With all due respect, Colonel, I'm going to raise this girl into a woman who the Marine will be proud of." He glanced at her before he added, "She'll be my responsibility."

Tashigi knew what he meant. At this instant, she swore to herself that she'd never discuss any order he might give her and to always do her best so he could be proud of her.

The Colonel sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. It seemed crazy. It _was_ crazy. But he also knew nothing could change Smoker's mind when it was set on something.

"Such a young and promising Captain like you… You're only twenty, Smoker. Don't make harsh decisions."

"It's nothing like a harsh decision, Colonel. This young girl does not have any family left." Tashigi's heart clenched and her lips shivered but she willed herself not to cry in front of the scary Colonel. "She was ready to fight the pirate who was abducting her. She'll be one of the best Marines you'll see." Smoker's voice was clear and he seemed so sure of himself. The older man rubbed his chin and shook his head tiredly.

"I'll talk with Vice-Admiral Garp. I'll see what can be done." And he turned his back, leaving the two together.

Only then did Tashigi notice that most of the men present on board were looking strangely at them.

Smoker crouched and let her down. He looked at her seriously.

"From now on you do everything I say, no matter what. I'll teach you everything I know so you'll be able to fight pirates. Is that alright ?" She nodded. "Good. Now, follow me, I'll show you around."

Without another word, he took her hand again. The ship was huge and he really didn't want to lose the child on the first night. He knew it would take her some time to learn her way around this ship. He had been through that too.

Dutifully she followed him, keeping an eye on everything and everyone and around them. She squeezed Smoker's fingers as she walked next to him. She listened with attention at everything he said. She could feel his long coat grazing against her leg and a drop of the pirate's blood running down her neck.

When they got inside, she glanced above her shoulder one last time. This. This would be her home now.

AN : Well, that's it ! I wanted Tashigi to be saved by Smoker as a kid and make him her father figure. Smoker is soooo bad with kids, I'm sure of it. But I'm also sure he'd his best to raise Tashigi and help her grow into the young woman we know. I might publish another chapter, maybe even more than one. I'd like to explore the evolution of their relationship through the years. If you have ideas or suggestions you can comment and I'll see what I can do. Thank you for your time. N.


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